Saving a Lost Soul
by NightmareGlitter
Summary: While learning how to drive from Atticus, Alexis accidentally runs over Chazz, killing him. Will the Ojamas, Jaden, Alexis, and Atticus be able to bring his soul back from the dead? No official pairing, use imagination. Conclusion up
1. Chapter 1

This fic is sort of sad, but not entirely. It's more or less bittersweet. Anyway, it's not meant to have pairings, though there might be hints of some. If there is more than one, you can use your imagination to choose whichever you like. I don't care if you wanna take it as het or yaoi or whatever. I don't really write yaoi, but w/e you wanna think. Anyway, hope u like!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1:

Alexis groaned as she got into the car. Today was the cursed day that Atticus taught her how to drive. She wondered why she had agreed in the first place. Oh, yeah, because he wouldn't leave her alone until she had agreed. Anyway, here she was, stuck in the car with Atticus and Jaden, who had actually asked for lessons.

"Ok, sis, the first thing you need to do is buckle up." Atticus instructed, clicking his seat belt, "Then, stick the key in the ignition…"

Atticus started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Jaden asked, clueless.

Alexis moaned. "Ignore him."

"Now, check your mirrors and seat adjustment. Undo the brakes and…press lightly on the gas."

She sighed heavily, but did so. However, she didn't press too lightly on the gas. The car lurched forward, causing her to scream.

"It's cool, sis," Atticus assured her, "You'll get the hang of it. Now, go down that road."

"Atticus," Jaden pointed out, "She's not ready for the road…"

"Aw, bull crap." Atticus said, waving it off, "Driving is easy. Besides, this is Duel Academy. Duh, Island? No one will be driving."

"But, I think it's too narrow. Wait, isn't that the road by the cliff and the dorms?"

"Who's the expert here?" Atticus snapped.

"Um, Atticus," Jaden said meekly, "may I remind you that you've gotten fifteen tickets for speeding and traffic violations in the past _month_?"

"Jaden, my dear boy," Atticus sighed, "don't dwell on such frivolities. It's a simple misunderstanding, that's all."

"Would you shut up?" Alexis asked, becoming stressed.

"Alexis, my dear sister, I'm only trying to explain to Jaden that--"

"I don't care!"

"Atticus, please stop," Jaden said.

"Jaden, this is a sibling thing, stay out of it."

"Atticus, if you would just stop being so--"

"Now, listen here, Alexis," Atticus raised his voice to talk over his sister,

"I think--"

"Would you two stop fighting!"

"Jaden, shut up!"

"Alexis, if you would just listen to me--"

"Listen to you?! HA! You know you wouldn't even--"

"Would you just shut up and watch where you're going?"

"Jaden, I already told you to--"

"If you don't stay out of this Yuki, I'll come back--"

"Don't make me pull over and--"

"ALEXIS!!!!"

_THUMP_

The car came to a stop.

"Wh-What was that?" Alexis gasped, hyperventilating, tears in the corners of her eyes. "Dammit, Atticus, I'm never driving again!"

"Now, calm down…"

"You guys," Jaden interrupted, with a pale face, "I think you just ran someone over…"

Alexis and Atticus froze. Slowly, Alexis opened the car door, sickness filling her stomach. She rounded the side of the car to the front. Her heart stopped when she saw a back clad figure lying in a pool of blood on the ground.

"Oh, God, please no," she whispered, kneeling down by him. "Please, God, tell me I did NOT just run Chazz over."

She gently rolled him over, and felt for a pulse. There was none.

Numbness washed over her as she crumpled down beside him. Her head fell in her hands.

"_I just killed somebody._"

Jaden rounded the car and stared. "I'll call 911."

"I'll get the nurse," Atticus ran off towards the school.

Jaden knelt down by Chazz as well. "Lex, it's not your fault…"

She didn't say anything, only shook her head.

"You couldn't possibly see this coming…"

"Jaden," she choked, "I didn't hate him. I never meant…"

"I know, I know. It's Ok."

"No, it's not! He's dead! I killed him! Oh, God, I'm sorry!"

She laid her head on Chazz's cold chest, and cried. Jaden placed his hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her.

"They can fix him," he told her, though he didn't specify who 'they' were.

"No, no, they can't! Nobody can…Oh, God, please don't let him die, please! Please bring him back…."

Jaden crawled closer to her, and slid his arms around her. "I-I-" he swallowed hard as he overcame the shock himself, tears sliding down his cheeks, "I'm sorry, Alexis."

They clung to each other in grief, sobbing over Chazz's body.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Ugh. Where am I?" _

_Chazz sat up, then looked around. His gray eyes widened at the scene before him. Everywhere he looked was foggy darkness. It surrounded him, holding him back in a tight, restraining way. He felt numb all over, except for a dull, throbbing pain in his head. He felt a bit strange, sort of different; however, he couldn't place his finger on what it was._

_He realized that he was suspended in the air somehow. Was he dreaming? Yes, it had to be a dream. But, wait; he didn't remember going to sleep. The last he remembered, he had been crossing the ridiculous, useless road by the dorms, muttering to himself about those worthless Ojamas and that loser Jaden. Well, that and something very heavy had crashed into him. He vaguely remembered being in a lot of pain, then blacking out._

"_Ugh. Where am I in my dream anyway? I guess I must be unconscious. But, why do I feel so cold?"_

_He shivered and, in an attempt to warm up, hugged himself. He tried to sigh, but then found he couldn't breathe. Panicking, he tried to find a way to wake himself up. He found he couldn't._

_He hugged himself tighter, then rested his chin on his knees. He soon realized why he felt different. His heart wasn't beating. Did this mean he was dead?_

_He laughed nervously, then said to himself, "No, I'm not dead. That's ridiculous. This is all just a crazy dream, and I'm gonna wake up soon…anytime now…"_

_His voice echoed in the emptiness as he drifted into a state of mental nonexistence._

-------------------------------------------------------------

Alexis wept heavily the entire ride to the hospital. Jaden sat in the backseat with her, his arms around her, trying to contain her heaving sobs.

"He'll be Ok, I promise you," he told her, "Why, I bet right now they're working to revive him. It can be done. Miracles happen."

"Jaden, I won't rest until I'm sure…"

"Don't worry," he told her, even though he was not sure of his own words. "I promise you, he'll be Ok."

They arrived at the hospital and went into the waiting room, hoping to gain some information on Chazz's condition. Atticus sat with his head hanging, staring at the floor.

"This is all my fault."

Jaden and Alexis looked over at him, surprised that he'd finally spoken.

"No, it's not. It's nobody's fault. These things happen," Jaden attempted to console him.

"If I had been a better teacher, then I would've been paying attention. And if I'd been a better brother, I'd have gotten a real instructor for you, sis. I'll take the entire blame."

"Atticus, no. It's my--"

"Ok, enough of the Blame Game." Jaden told them, "What's done is done. We can only go forward from here."

All were silenced by the younger slifer's words of wisdom. No one knew what to say. It was so out of character for him to offer such good advice--that had nothing to do with trusting in yourself or dueling.

"You're right," Alexis finally admitted.

At that moment, a nurse stepped in the room. All eyes looked up at her. She was carrying Chazz's black trench coat and his deck.

"Well?" Atticus asked nervously.

She shook her head sadly and held the coat out to Alexis. Shaking, Alexis took the coat and put it on. She sniffed the collar. Even though it had been washed to get the blood off of it, it still smelled like Chazz.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

That evening, Jaden sat alone in his room, staring at Chazz's deck. He sighed heavily, feeling sad. He leaned back in his seat and thought to the first day he'd met Chazz; how long ago that seemed! Chazz had always been so miserable. Jaden wished he could've done something to make Chazz's life easier, or at least, more fulfilled. Well, at least Chazz had friends who cared about him, right? Only, Chazz had never accepted this.

While continuing to look at the cards, Jaden heard a tiny whimper. He turned around, expecting to see Syrus, but instead saw Ojama Yellow with tears coming out of its little eyes.

"Jaden," it whined, "the boss…."

"I know."  
"Jaden, you gotta do something."

"I can't do anything," he said, smiling sadly, "I'm sorry."

"No, you got it all wrong. I know where the boss is."

"We all know. The Happy Dueling Grounds…"

"No, Jaden," Ojama Yellow shook its head and wiped away its tears, "He's lost. He's in the Shadow Realm. That's where duelists who have a close bond with their monsters go before moving on to…to…."

"Really?"

Ojama Yellow nodded. "And for a short time, if we hurry, we can get him back. I can find his soul, but I can't find my way back. I need someone to help me. If I don't have someone who's close to the Boss help me get him back, then I'm worthless."

"What about your brothers?"

"They can only help me find his soul and hold onto it. They're with him right now. Only another human can help bring him back."

"But how?"

"You'll have to go to the Shadow Realm, I guess."

"But, I can't--I have no way--"

"Please," Ojama Yellow begged with teary eyes, "Do it for the Boss."

"Ok. I'll do whatever I can. Maybe Alexis should help too. After all, she feels really bad about what she did, and I might need her help. I mean, she's his friend too."

"All right, Jaden. But we have to hurry. We have to start tonight."

"How will I find a way to the Shadow Realm?"

"I guess you'll have to lose your soul…"

"But that's pointless! Then two souls will be lost…I mean, how can I find my way back so I can save him?"

"You have to go in to get him out," it explained, "My brothers and I have to use all our energy to sustain his soul, but maybe that Kuriboh of yours can keep a line open so you can travel back. Normally, Duel Monsters can't rescue anyone from the Shadow Realm. So, I guess you will need Alexis. And maybe Atticus can help you get there, since he was once a Shadow Rider."

"Man, this is gonna be a lot more complicated than I thought," Jaden said, his head spinning, "But I'll do it for Chazz's sake! I'll risk anything to get him back."

"Good luck, Jaden."

"Thanks, I'll need it. It's sort of amazing how everyone comes to me with these sorts of problems. But I think I can handle it."

"Of course you can! After all, you defeated the Shadow Riders and Kagemaru in the first place. You can defeat the shadows again."

With that, Ojama Yellow started to fade. "Bye, Jaden, I have to go attend to the boss now. It's all up to you."

--------------------------------------------------------------

_Ojama Black and Ojama Green wandered the Shadow Realm frantically. _

"_I can't find him anywhere!" Ojama Green cried._

"_I wonder if we're too late," Ojama Black said._

"_Don't say that!" Ojama Green reprimanded, "There's still hope. I believe if we try hard enough, we'll find the Boss."_

"_Ugh. This Shadow Realm is draining me of my energy." Ojama Black muttered, "If we don't find him soon, then we're gonna end up kicking the bucket."_

"_This stuff is so powerful…" Ojama Green whined, waving at the fog, "I don't know if we can do this."_

"_Shame on both of you!" Ojama Yellow scolded, appearing, "After all the Boss has done for you, and this is how you repay him? By wimping out like a couple of chickens? We have to do this for the Boss. We have to save him. Jaden has to have some time to get here, and if we don't find the Boss, number one, Jaden won't know where to look, number two, he won't be able to find the Boss, and number three, the Boss will leave the Shadow Realm quicker. So let's go!"_

_The other two Ojamas looked in shame at the yellow one. They followed him off, disappearing into the fog, wishing they could find their master, but strongly doubting they would ever see him again._

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Hope you liked it! Please review, and see you next time: )_  
_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Well, here we are at Chapter 2. This fic won't be too long, though. At least I hope it won't turn into a hundred chapters! (jk. It'll be short.) I know it's kinda dark, but thanks for reading, anyway. And, just out of curiosity, about pairings, how many of you think that it's:**

**Jaden and Alexis**

**Chazz and Alexis**

**Jaden and Chazz**

**Just let me know. Or, if you have a different pairing, involving Atticus, let me know. Hope you enjoy: )**

* * *

Chapter 2:

_Chazz felt dizzy. For the past for days, he'd felt weaker and weaker. At least, he thought it was days. It didn't matter. All he knew was he wanted to go home. Contrary to what he always told everyone, he actually hated to be alone like this. He wished someone would come and talk to him. So far, he'd seen nobody and nothing. Nothing except for blackness and fog._

_"This sucks." He complained, "Isn't anyone worried about me? Isn't anyone trying to find me? Can anyone hear me?!"_

_His voice echoed in the darkness. There was no response_

_"God, I know I haven't been religious or anything, but if you're there, then can you send me an angel? I wanna go home. I know I haven't exactly earned it, but will you please get me outta here? I hate this!"_

_Shivering, he held his knees closer to his chest. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared. The longer this dragged out, the more panicked he became. He had the strange feeling that he'd been there before, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Where ever he was, it didn't seem like he was leaving anytime soon._

_--------------------------------------------_

Alexis wiped her eyes as she sat in the uncomfortable chairs at the cemetery. Attending the youngest Princeton's funeral was the least she could do after the injustice she'd done to him. Guiltily, she thought back to how harshly she had treated him when he had proclaimed his love for her. What if he thought she'd run him over on purpose? What if he thought she hated him? She certainly had to find some way to get him back now.

Jaden had told her everything the very night he had found out; however, they had been unsuccessful in getting to the Shadow Realm. Nothing was working. Even though Atticus had done his best, he could find no way to send them there. They had dueled hundreds of times; however, Jaden kept winning and whenever Alexis had lost, the shadows had not been potent enough to capture her soul. Atticus had lost his touch.

Alexis looked over at Mrs. Princeton. She felt so horrible watching Chazz's mother sob like that. What was even worse was that Mrs. Princeton knew that Alexis had done this to her son. She had told Alexis it was all right; however, everyone knew it wasn't. Alexis silently swore that if Chazz ever came back, she would be nicer to him. And kiss him, even. He sure deserved it after what he'd been put through.

Atticus reached out and took his sister's hand, squeezing it reassuringly, even as he himself was less than assured. Jaden, as well, took Alexis' other hand. She would've brushed them away, claiming she did not deserve the comfort had she not believed they needed it just as much. They could only watch helplessly as the casket was lowered into the ground.

_---------------------------------------_

_"I want to go home." Chazz whined to himself. "Somebody, save me!"_

_"Boss?" came a faint voice from beyond the shadows._

_"Ojama Yellow? Is that really you?" Chazz asked in disbelief. Normally, he would've told the Duel Spirit to take a hike; however, at that moment he was overjoyed to see it._

_"Boss, we've been looking for you forever!" Ojama Yellow shouted, coming through the fog._

_Chazz cried. He had never cried in front of the Ojamas before; however, he figured he'd make an exception here. He was so relieved to see something familiar._

_"Get me outta here!"_

_Ojama Yellow smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Boss, I can't."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because you're dead."_

_"WHAT?!!!!!"_

_"Alexis accidentally killed you."_

_"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT?!!!!!!! I mean, I knew she didn't like like me, but I didn't know she HATED me!"_

_"I said it was an accident!"_

_"Ok, Ok, I getcha. Ok, game's over. Where am I really?"_

_"I'm not kidding, Boss. You're in the Shadow Realm, and we only have a few days left to save you and bring you back to your body. You're dead."_

_Chazz would've fainted if he could've. "D-dead? I'm dead? Alexis…"_

------------------------------------------

Jaden and Alexis dueled Atticus for the millionth time after they returned to Duel Academy. Still, their attempts were all in vain. They failed once again.

"Ok, we're just wasting our time," Alexis sighed, "We have to find a REAL Shadow Rider."

"But, we got rid--" began Jaden.

"We should go to Pegasus then. Maybe he can help us." Atticus suggested.

"Why would he listen to a ridiculous story like this?"

"Remember, Alexis," Atticus reminded her, "Pegasus created the game. Besides, he's messed with the Shadow Realm before. Plus, he has encountered supernatural events with the game. He knows what he's talking about."

"Ok." Alexis agreed. "When do we leave?"

"There's no time to waste. We have to go now." Atticus told them.

--------------------------------------

Pegasus examined the three teenagers sitting on the other side of the desk, contemplating.

"You mean to tell me that you want to go to the Shadow Realm to save your friend, all because a Duel Spirit said so?"

"But, don't Duel Spirits know what they're talking about when it comes to things like this?" Jaden argued.

"Well, in most cases, yes; however, the Ojamas are notorious for being, er, rather, um, ignorant. They're loyal to their master, but they're obnoxious and impulsive. They don't always know what they're talking about, you know." Pegasus explained.

"We have no choice," Alexis told him, standing up, tears in her eyes, "What are we supposed to do? Look the other way? What if they're right? It's worth a try."

Pegasus sighed. "But, you're messing with a completely mysterious force. You don't mess with death and the Shadow Realm like that. I'm sorry, but I can't help you. He's dead."

"We're willing to do anything to get him back," Jaden said resolutely, scowling, "He's our friend, and we won't abandon him. If we have a chance to get him back, we're gonna take it, no matter what."

"Jaden-boy, it's not possible. Once you cross the threshold of death, well…"

"But, what about those times others were sent to the Shadow Realm, huh? We saved them then."

"Jaden-boy, that's because they were sent due to the effects of a duel and the Millennium Items. Besides, who knows what could happen. It could kill you, too."

"We don't care!" Alexis shouted, slamming her hands on the desk, causing all parties to jump, "We want out friend back! We love him, and he deserves a second chance so he can know that."

"We won't abandon him," Jaden said quietly, "We're his friends. It's our duty to help him out when he gets in trouble. He needs us."

Pegasus sighed tiredly. "Very well."

"So, what'll we do?" Atticus asked.

"Well, I suppose since this is an emergency…"

Pegasus reached into a drawer, then pulled out a box. The three teens looked in curious awe at it.

"Of course," he explained, "the original items had to be returned to Atem's tomb. However, I have created replicas for historical purposes. Of course, they are not nearly as powerful as the original, but they will serve their purpose, I assure you. Just please be careful and return them when you're finished. After all, your duels have not worked simply because you've only been using a Shadow deck and nothing else. I wish you the best of luck. Now, do I have your word that you won't abuse them?"

They promised that he did.

"Good. Now, if you don't bring them back, then I'll have to send Yugi after you," he joked. "Bye-bye, now. See you later, Jaden-boy."

They exited his office with the box.

"Do you think this will work?" Alexis asked nervously.

"It has to." Jaden said.

"Are you sure about this?" Atticus asked, pulling an item out.

Alexis looked over at Jaden, biting her lip. Exchanging a glance, they turned back to Atticus and nodded.

"Good," Atticus said, "now, let's do this. And Jaden?"

"Hmm?"

"This isn't for fun, so take it seriously, and lose. On purpose."

Jaden nodded. "It's not like I didn't try the other times. My dueling instincts just kicked in and well…"

Alexis and Atticus groaned. This was going to be harder than they thought.

They dueled for a long time; Jaden and Alexis against Atticus. Finally, Jaden allowed himself to slip up, causing him and Alexis to lose. Atticus cringed as he activated the item.

"Good luck!" he told them as the golden light blinded their vision. "And please come back."

"We will, and we promise Chazz will be with us." Jaden yelled.

Alexis swallowed hard and seized Jaden's hand. He squeezed her hand reassuringly as the light intensified then gave way to darkness. They had reached the Shadow Realm.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's it for today. Sorry to leave you hanging, but it might be next week or longer before I can write more of this story. Please review: )**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Finally! Exams are over and I get a four day weekend. You know what that means…PARTY!!! WOO WOO XD JK! Actually, it means I'll get a chance to WRITE. I'll try to write more during the week too, now that I don't have to stay after school. Certainly after November 15, once I present my final speech for senior exit. I cannot wait for THAT to be over. (between you and me, I've hardly even started my project O.O I'm screwed.)**

**Anyway, here is Chap 3. I know that it's seemed like JxA for the past two chaps, but fans of other pairings might see the possibility here. Not that there won't be more JxA hints. Enjoy: )**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

Chapter 3:

Alexis and Jaden blinked in the darkness until their eyes adjusted. Still clutching hands, they made their way through the fog, searching for any sign of their friend.

"What if it's too late?" Alexis fretted.

Jaden scowled and squeezed her hand so tightly it cut off the blood circulation. "It's not too late. Come on, Alexis, be optimistic. We can find him. We can bring him back. I mean, we gave our word didn't we?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "I'm willing to do anything," she told him, "He's my responsibility."

"He's our responsibility." Jaden corrected, "Don't think that you have to go this distance alone. I'm here for you."

She took a deep breath, mustering up every ounce of courage she had. "Ok, Jaden, ok. Thank-you."

He smiled a little. "Anytime, Lex. After all, what kind of friend am I if I left you hanging?"

She laughed nervously. "Yeah, sure." To herself, she thought, "I think we're more than just friends."

She blushed, looking down at their hands.

At that moment, she heard a soft coo. Looking up, she almost had a heart attack. There, floating in the fog was Kuriboh. He circled around a few times, continuing to coo.

"Kuriboh?" Jaden asked, "What's up?"

Kuriboh cooed in response. Jaden just nodded understandingly. Then, he turned to Alexis with a mournful expression. Her heart caught in her throat.

"Alexis, I'm sorry. I have to let you go on here. Kuriboh needs some help in stabilizing this, um--what's the word--uh…portal? If I don't, then we won't be able to get out. I promise, though, as soon as I fix it, I'll try to find you, Ok? I promise, I swear my life on it."

Alexis only nodded understandingly. "Ok. I trust you."

"I'm really sorry." Jaden told her, hugging her, "I'll try to find you as soon as possible."

She hugged him back then pulled away, looking into his puppy-dog eyes. "It's Ok, Jay. I'll be fine, so don't worry about me."

"Ok, take care. Good luck, Lex."

She only nodded, then walked away. She turned back and threw a frightened glance at him over her shoulder. He nodded reassuringly at her. Despite her words, she was scared. It was not Ok. She needed him to help her through this. But she understood that if they didn't separate, the consequences were far worse than simple terror. They could die if Jaden didn't do this. Taking a deep breath, she disappeared into the fog.

-------------------------------------------

She had been wandering through the eerie darkness for several hours when she heard shrill voices. Hurrying towards the noise, she saw the three Ojamas hovering over a black-clad figure. She caught her breath in shock. Tears stung her eyes at seeing her friend again. She hurried over.

"Alexis!" Ojama Yellow exclaimed, "Oh, I'm so glad you're here! Please save the boss. He hasn't woken up in hours. It's almost too late!"

Kneeling by him, Alexis took Chazz's head in her lap and brushed his silky raven hair out of his pale face. Her heart thumped sickeningly at the thought of losing him. If anyone could bring him back, surely she could. Suppressing a groan, she knew what she must do.

"Just this once, Chazz." She muttered, leaning her face down towards his.

A slight blush crept across her cheeks. Slowly, begrudgingly, she tilted her head and touched her lips to his. If this didn't work, she knew nothing would.

After a moment of kissing him softly, his charcoal eyes halfway opened. They soon opened wide when he felt what she was doing. Wondering if he were in heaven, he softly kissed her back, giving her a response.

Feeling the slight pressure of his lips against hers, she blushed profusely, then pulled quickly away. He looked disappointed, but happy nonetheless. However, he seemed weaker and all the more unstable.

"Alexis? What was that for? What are you doing here?" He suddenly gasped. "You didn't kill yourself did you?"

"No!" she exclaimed, "I came to look for you. And Jaden did too."

She bit her lip, still tasting his mouth and blushing. She blushed redder thinking of Jaden. Quickly, she cleared his clueless puppy-dog eyes from her mind to focus on Chazz. She felt like a terrible friend to both of them.

"Chazz, we have to get out of here." She told him, tears stinging her amber eyes again.

"I can't. I'm dead." He told her, shrugging.

"How can you say that? I'm here to take you back. We can still bring you back to life. If you'll just come with me…"

He suddenly doubted her. "How can I trust you? After all, you're the one who killed me."

She threw her arms around his neck and held him close, trembling in grief. "I'm sorry, Chazz. I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear. Please trust me. Please come with me."

Slowly, he hugged her back to calm her. "Ok. I'll trust you," he told her to console her and ease her guilt.

Swallowing hard, she managed a smile. "Thank-you, Chazz."

He smiled weakly back. "I forgive you. Even if I am dead forever, it's Ok. I forgive you anyway."

"Well, in case we don't make it," Alexis told him, forgetting Jaden's admonishment to stay positive, "I want you to know, I love you. As a friend, I mean. I never hated you. I never meant you any harm. And I'm sorry I hurt you so much. Can we still be friends?"

He nodded. "Of course, Lex. I'll always be your friend, no matter what you do to me. It's Ok, I wasn't too upset by it anyway. My delusions saved me that much."

She sighed in relief, though she knew it was a lie. "Well, we'd better go, then."

Taking his hand, she pulled him up and draped his arm over her shoulder to support him. They stumbled through the fog to try to find Jaden, the Ojamas in tow.

---------------------------------------

Jaden sat in front of the portal, worried. He wasn't sure how much longer it would stay open. Much to his dismay, he'd found he couldn't leave to find Alexis as he had promised. If he did, the portal would collapse. He sighed heavily, hoping she'd be all right.

At that moment, Kuriboh cooed urgently and pointed towards the thickening fog. Jaden peered closer. His heart skipped a beat.

"Oh, no, this can't be happening!" He bit his lip and looked up at Kuriboh. "What do we do?"

Kuriboh looked worriedly down at Jaden. Usually, Jaden was calm and collected. Why was he so worried now?

Jaden didn't want to admit it, but the more he thought about Alexis, the tighter his stomach felt. Something was wrong. His protective instincts kicked in, urging him to go find her. However, he refrained. He had to stay and keep their only way out stable. Not to mention there was another problem.

As the fog thickened, it blocked any vision he had of the Shadow Realm around him. A soft, unpleasant cheeping noise sounded in the distance, then grew louder. He looked in dismay as demons surrounded the shadow barrier. It was only a matter of time before they broke through.

-------------------------------------------

Chazz clung tighter to Alexis, feeling a sudden wave of dizziness. His knees buckled, leaving him hanging onto her thin frame for dear life.

"I can't go on. I can't make it." He told her, sinking lower. "Go on without me. Save yourself."

"I won't leave without you!" she told him indignantly, trying desperately to support his weight. For a soul, he sure was heavy.

His head dropped on her chest without his meaning to. She bristled, but did nothing about it. She only tried to pull him up to his feet.

"Come on, Chazz, fight! Do it for me."

Struggling, he attempted to pull himself to his feet. "Alexis, help me."

She tried her best to pull him up Using every ounce of her strength, she pulled him to his feet.

"Come on, Chazz, _fight_. Don't you dare give up."

He grasped her shoulders and held himself up, shaking. He winced, electric pain shooting through him. He knew he couldn't make it.

Alexis saw his eyes and knew. No longer did she harbor any resentment or bitterness towards him. Throwing her arms around his waist, she kissed him again, then buried her face in his ebony hair. She cried, feeling hopeless, feeling as though they wouldn't get out. She had never felt so useless in her life. She felt herself crumbling and giving way to the new emotion. She realized she couldn't do this on her own.

"Alexis, I'm sorry. I dragged you into this, and now you're gonna…"

"It's Ok, Chazz," she breathed deeply, "It's Ok. Just…don't let me regret this."

Understanding what she meant, he said, "I appreciate that you cared enough to come after me. Most people wouldn't have done that. Thank-you. And don't worry, if we have to die, at least we won't die alone."

She nodded, burying her face in his shoulder. He put his arms back around her and they sank to the ground, surrendering to the shadows. Only Jaden could save them now.

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's it for today. I might update it tomorrow, b/c it won't be much longer. Sorry for another cliffhanger: )**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ok, last chapter kinda sucked now that I re-read it. It's so hard to keep these things up. I'm afraid to say this story won't be much longer. I'm not sure how many chapters there will be left. Could be one. Could be three. I don't know. Anyway, enjoy and please review! (I think I'm trying too hard, ick.) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX or the Shadow Realm.**

* * *

Chapter 4

Kuriboh cooed urgently, awakening Jaden from his sleep. He jumped up, realizing he'd shirked his duties. Once more, he thought of Alexis. It sure had been a long time since he'd seen her. Unfortunately, the demons were still surrounding the barrier, and by the looks of it, they weren't giving up. He looked desperately at Kuriboh.

"What do you think we should do?"

Kuriboh cooed in response and floated over to the barrier.

"Kuriboh--wait, what are you doing?"

Kuriboh gurgled happily as though to tell Jaden not to worry. He exited the barrier and began to shoo the demons away as he floated off into the fog.

"Wonder where he's going? I guess now I'll have to try to hold this thing open with only my energy. I sure hope Kuriboh knows what he's doing."

Jaden leaned back and sighed. It was certainly not going to be as easy as he'd hoped. He was positive they could get out, but he wasn't quite sure how they'd do it. He didn't even know where Chazz or Alexis were. Hopefully, Kuriboh would find them. In the meantime, however, he would just have to sit there and wait.

-------------------------------------------------

Alexis cradled Chazz in her arms, stroking his hair. She bit tears back, trying to be brave. It wouldn't be much longer before he was gone. She could already feel his soul seeping away. He, as well, was trying to be brave for her sake, but she could see the fear in his dark eyes. He knew he wasn't going to make it.

"I'm sorry." She muttered, lowering her head in shame, "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he told her for the thousandth time, "It's Ok."

She held her tongue, preventing the stream of constant apologies. They were only going in circles. He already knew she was sorry. He didn't need to spend the last moments of his consciousness consoling her. Realizing this, she decided she needed to stop being so selfish. She should distract him. Quickly, she tried to think of something else to say.

"So, Chazz, um, what's your favorite thing to do?" She mentally slapped herself at how senseless the question was.

He thought for a moment. "I like to pick on the slackers."

She hung her head. "Other than that."

"Ummmm…..I like….to sleep."

"Do you even have a hobby?"

"I….duel."

"We all do."

"Oh. Well, then, I like to…sit around and pretend to be busy hoping someone will come talk to me, but not making it too obvious that I want a friend because I'm the Chazz and the Chazz doesn't need friends and anyway if someone did talk to me, it'd probably be that Slifer slacker Jaden and I'd tell him to get lost and I'd just shoot down any attempts to be friends because I don't want to get to close to anyone because my best friends turned on me and everyone always turns on me."

She sat there, head spinning. He'd talked so fast, it almost didn't register. If he had been alive, he probably would be out of breath by now.

"Um, Ok." She said awkwardly, "So…who were your best friends?"

"My brothers." He muttered, "Well, that is, until we grew up."

She took pity on him. He really couldn't trust anyone. Especially since his so-called friends had dumped him once he'd been demoted.

"Well, for someone that doesn't want to give away much information, you're sure letting me in."

He looked sheepish. "Well, that's only because I'm gonna…."

Remembering the how dire the situation was, both fell silent.

At that moment, Alexis heard a soft, faint coo from beyond the fog.

"What was that?"

"Sounds like slacker's little dust bunny."

"Which is….?"

"Kuriboh."

It was then that Ojama Yellow unexpectedly appeared in Chazz's face.

"Boss, it is Kuriboh!"

"Where have you been?"

"Some scary spirits blocked us from following you. Then Kuriboh came and chased them away! He's still fending them off…but here I am!"

Chazz groaned. "You're a big help."

"Thanks."

"I was being sarcastic."  
"Why do you always have to be so mean? Can't you appreciate anything we do for you, even just once?" Tears poured out of Ojama Yellow's eyes, "We don't want you to die. You're everything to us. Boss, we love you!"

Chazz fell silent, uncertain of how he should respond. Finally: "Oh. I-I didn't think about that. In that case, I guess I…love you too."

"Really?"

Chazz grimaced. "Yes."

"Aww, you're the best, boss!"

Much to Chazz's dismay, it kissed him. He screamed and jerked away.

"Don't do that!"

Before he had a chance to do any more damage, Kuriboh came out of the fog and cooed, gesturing for them to follow him.

Alexis stared up at the little creature, unsure of whether or not she should trust it. Finally, she relented and pulled Chazz up to his feet. She stared to follow Kuriboh, though it was getting darker. Shaking, Chazz tried to keep up, though he stumbled a lot.

"We don't have much time!" Ojama Yellow prodded, "Come on, boss, we have to go!"

"Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I want to die, you stupid, little yellow gremlin?" Chazz snapped.

"Quiet, Chazz," Alexis commanded, "Save your energy."

Begrudgingly, he silenced himself and worked on keeping up.

-------------------------------------------------------

"This isn't good at all," Jaden thought, watching the portal shrink.

For the past hour, he had been doing his best to keep it open; however, it was shrinking rapidly. There was no way he could hold it open much longer. They would be trapped if they didn't hurry.

From afar off, he heard a faint coo. His heart leapt. Could it be? Maybe they would make it after all. Maybe everything would be all right. He could only hope.

During the next several minutes, the cooing grew louder and louder until Kuriboh burst through the barrier. Chazz, Alexis, and the Ojamas followed him.

Overjoyed, Jaden jumped to his feet and hugged Alexis. She gripped him tightly back, unable to let go for a long time. Finally, they released one another. Jaden turned to Chazz and hugged him, too.

"Less hugging," Chazz seethed, "we need to get out of here. You can hug me all you want later, slacker."

"Oh, right." Jaden said sheepishly.

Jaden grabbed one of Chazz's arms while Alexis grabbed the other. Supporting him, they dove through the portal, making it just in time. The portal closed just as Kuriboh and the Ojamas escaped.

Jaden and Alexis hit the ground with a sharp thud. They lay stunned for a moment, then slowly sat up. They looked around wildly.

"Where's Chazz?" Alexis asked.

"I don't know…"

They began to panic.

"I'm right here, slacker." Chazz snapped from where he was floating, thanks to the Ojamas and Kuriboh.

"Oh, that's right," Alexis laughed nervously, "You're not back in your body. Does that mean you're a…ghost?"

"I don't care. Just get me back in my wretched body!"

"What's the magic word?" Jaden asked cheerily.

Chazz looked exasperated. "Please?"  
"Ok, Chazz!"

"We'd better hurry," Ojama Yellow told them, "we only have an hour before he dissipates!"

"What's that mean?" Jaden asked, clueless.

"Let's just go." Alexis said, seizing his arm and running.

"Where are we going?"

"The cemetery, duh. We have to…dig him up…."

"Oh."

They burst in the gates of the cemetery and snuck to his grave. Chazz was less than pleased with it.

"You have GOT to be kidding me. This pathetic excuse for a grave? I always imagined something a lot more…more…extravagant. I can't believe this! When I get back in my body, I'm going to start on my will, and I'm going to tell them how my funeral and my grave should be. I should have and entire cemetery--"

He continued to rant ungratefully while Jaden and Alexis slaved to dig him up.

"Why are we doing this again?" Jaden asked, giving Chazz an annoyed glance.

"Because it's my fault he died and he's our friend." Alexis reminded him, then, glancing at Chazz as well, "Even if he's annoying."

"--and it really should've been of gold, but I guess silver would do. Did I mention that all the flower stands would have to be--"

"Chazz," Alexis snapped, "try to be more grateful. A lot of people miss you. I thought that you dying would have some impact on your greed and your arrogance, but I guess I was wrong. Do you want to go back to the Shadow Realm?"

Chazz looked meek. "I'm sorry, Lex! Please don't send me back there. I'll do anything!"

"Well, then, stop your whining. And if your funeral were that extravagant, I wouldn't have come. That's like rubbing your wealth in other people's faces when they should be thinking kindly of you. They're mourning. It's NOT a party. And wouldn't that distract them? Wouldn't you want them to think about how much they love you?"

He pondered this for a moment. Then, looking sheepish and embarrassed, "I guess so. I guess I really don't want all that."  
"You're just showing off, aren't you?"

He nodded and remained silent.

"Idiot." She muttered.

They dug up the casket and, with much trouble, heaved it up. Quickly, they broke it open. Thankfully, it hadn't been too long, so his body was still preserved. Alexis hoped this would work.

Chazz was unusually silent at the sight of himself in such a helpless state. The Ojamas and Kuriboh pulled him down, and pushed his soul back into his body. Everyone leaned forward, waiting for a response.

Nothing happened.

Alexis turned to Jaden sorrowfully and put her arms around his neck. He only held her and told her that perhaps it hadn't been enough time.

Alexis looked back over at Chazz. Leaning down, she smoothed his raven hair out of his pale face. His eyelids twitched, then slid partially open.

"You're Ok!"

He lay still, staring up at them, looking weak. "One…problem."

"What?"

"My body…is still…damaged. You need…to get me…to a hospital. ASAP."

Jaden and Alexis exchanged a glance, then whipped out their cell phones.

Once the call was made, Alexis suddenly looked panicked.

"What's wrong?" Jaden asked.

"How are we going to explain this?"

"Oh." He hadn't thought of that. "I have no clue. Just say it was a miracle."

"Um…Ok." She wasn't sure about this, but she decided there was nothing to lose.

-------------------------------------------------

Jaden and Alexis sat nervously in the waiting room, hoping that Chazz's surgery would go well. As it turned out, he'd had a major concussion, several broken bones, some torn ligaments, internal bleeding, and a punctured lung. There was not much they could do for him, but they agreed they would try their best. Jaden's miracle story had not gone over too well, however, considering the circumstances, they had no choice but to accept it.

"Please tell me he'll be Ok." Alexis fretted, grasping Jaden's hand.

"Don't worry." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and laced his fingers with hers, "He'll be all right."

She bit her lip and nodded.

Jaden suddenly laughed softly.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

He smiled a bit mischievously. "Oh, nothing. Except that you kissed Chazz."

"What?! How do you know about that?"

He grinned wider. "Kuriboh told me."

"How'd he--"

"The Ojamas told him."

"But they weren't there!"

"I guess they were spying."

Alexis groaned. "So they lied that they weren't there?"

"I guess so. If they'd really left, Chazz would've died."

Alexis groaned again. "Those little…"

"Alexis?"

"Yes?"

Jaden blushed a little. "Do you think that maybe…"

"What?"

"I mean, could I have a kiss too?" He looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes and a sheepish grin.

She laughed. "Are you jealous?"

"No, that'd be stupid!" he waved it off.

"Then why do you want me to kiss you?" she smirked at him.

Seeing he was trapped, he sighed. "Ok, maybe I'm just a little jealous. Can I have a kiss, though? Please?"

She pondered this for a moment. Finally: "Well….Ok."

"Really?"

She nodded.

Blushing, they leaned forward and tilted their heads. Jaden clutched her hand tighter. Alexis brushed some hair out of his face as their lips touched. It felt very strange to kiss Jaden.

After a moment of softly kissing, she pulled away. "Sorry, Jaden."

"It's cool."

Both looked away from each other, blushing.

Thankfully, the doctor came in at that moment, breaking the awkward silence.

"Good news. His surgery was a success."

Alexis sighed heavily in relief.

"He should be out of the hospital in a week or two. In the meantime, you may go visit him."

They hurried into his hospital room to see him resting peacefully. Alexis was so relieved to see the color back in his cheeks and his chest rising and falling as he breathed. A small smile was curving his lips as he slept. Alexis leaned down and hugged him, despite the fact that he was asleep.

Jaden brushed her aside and hugged him as well. They sat on the edge of his bed and watched him.

Hopefully, everything would be all right now. Things would go back to normal, just so long as he was all right. And just so long as he didn't remember the ordeal he'd been put through or the kiss Alexis had given him.

* * *

**A/N: Well, at this point, I think there will be one last chapter. It will be a sort of Epilogue, showing how things worked out and how the characters interact with each other now. And will Chazz remember? We'll have to see… : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Well, here we are, at the conclusion. It's been so much fun… T-T I hate letting a fic go. Thanks to all my readers who have stuck w/ me this far. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own GX or the Ojamas. Thankfully, Chazz is stuck w/ that one. XD**

* * *

Chapter 5:

The sun slanted in through the window of Alexis' bedroom. She yawned and let the afternoon sun warm her as she sat trying to finish her homework. Truthfully, her mind was not on it. She was thinking about Chazz.

She was still worried about him. And not just about whether or not he'd be all right or whether or not he'd be traumatized. Yes, she was worried in those senses, but she was also worried he'd remember the kiss. If that were the case, he'd never leave her alone 'til the day they both died for good. At this point, death was sounding sort of tempting. Then again, she had no desire to be in the Shadow Realm. And who knew what tortures you were put through after that. Shuddering, she figured she didn't want to know.

And what about Jaden? After she'd kissed him, she'd felt a little awkward around him because she didn't know where they stood. Going through that frightening experience sure had brought them closer, though she found that to be scary, too.

A soft tap on her door interrupted her thoughts. Sighing heavily with exasperation, she opened it. Thinking it'd be Atticus, she raised her hand to slap the visitor. She found herself staring into Chazz's dark, bewildered charcoal gaze.

"Oh, hi, Chazz." She blushed, remembering the kiss they'd shared. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better. Of course, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, so I thought I'd drop by to thank you. I brought you flowers."

With hopeful, love-sick puppy eyes, he offered her the gift of a dozen red roses. She blushed and accepted them.

"Well, what are you doing standing out there? Come on in."

"Uh, Ok, thanks."

He came in and she shut the door. Gesturing for him to sit on the couch, she put the roses in some water. He sat at the edge of the couch, as though it were going to bite him. He looked more than a little uncomfortable.

After a moment of arranging her prize, Alexis sat next to him. Neither said a word for a moment, just sat staring at their hands in awkward silence. Finally, a tiny smirk curved his lips upwards.

"You kissed me."  
Blushing, she quickly denied it. "No, I didn't! You must've been dreaming."

He shook his head. "I remember it plain as day. How could I forget a thing like that?"

She bit her lip, looking nervous. "Well, it won't happen again."

"Or will it?" He was still smirking, his dark eyes now mischievous. "You did accept my roses, after all. Usually, you throw them away."

She blushed again. "Well, it's only fair after what you've been through. I gave you my apology thoroughly, so don't use your injury as an excuse. I've already given you yours. Don't ask any more of me; I will not do any more favors for you."

"Not unless it's in your best interest as well." He teased.

She glared at him. "Don't go there with me, Princeton. Just because I care about you enough to retrieve you from the Land of the Dead by means of a terrifying journey that will test my wit's end does not mean that I care about you like that. I'm not your girlfriend. I'm only your friend, and I only love you in a friendly sense."

"If that is so, how come you did go? Was it guilt? Was it an obligation? No! Jaden could've done it by himself, I'm sure. You know that too. Miracle boy can do anything. And you…you were just worried about me. You wanted to see if I was all right. And no one else other than slacker would take that risk. Also, why are you saying now that you love me when you wouldn't have even thought of it before?"

"You're delusional," she smirked, "but cute. Yes, I said it, you're cute. But we're still nothing more than friends. Some friends, just care that much. Some friends are close as family. You're a brother to me, Chazz. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less. And now that I realize how fragile life is, I will not hesitate to tell you I love you every time I see you. I never know when I'll see you again. But don't you dare die. I don't want to go to the Shadow Realm to retrieve you again."  
She smiled good-naturedly at him and touched his cheek. Blushing, he stroked her hand lovingly and gazed longingly into her eyes. She shook her head at him.

"As I said before, Chazz, just friends. Don't take this as an invitation to--"

"Just one last time." He interjected.

"What?"

"Allow me one more time." He looked at her with imploring eyes, a gaze that penetrated her soul, piercing her soft heart.

Sighing heavily, she agreed. "All right, Chazz, just once. But that doesn't mean--"

"I know, I know."

He lowered his head, taking her face gently in his hands and pulling it towards him. As he did this, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. She was having second thoughts about this and was about to tell him to stop when his lips brushed hers. Relaxing, she allowed him to kiss her; however, she refused to kiss him back.

His eyes pleaded with her to kiss him back. Rolling her eyes, she complied with his wishes involuntarily. After a brief moment, she tore away.

"Well, are you happy?"

Grinning widely and nodding, he stood up. "My time's up now. I'd better go."

"What?" Her eyes widened, "You're going back to the Shadow Realm? Come back here, I wasn't done kissing you!"

He stared at her quizzically. Even though he knew he could use this to his advantage, he decided against it.

"Actually," he told her, "Atticus and Jaden only let me out of my room for this long. I'm supposed to be in bed for a week, after all."

"Oh." She blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean what I said. What I meant was--"

"Nope, I don't wanna hear it." He beamed at her, the smirk of one who knew he'd won. Placing a finger on her lips, he half-closed his eyes, giving her the sexiest look he could. "We all know how you feel, so save it."

She would've died laughing had it not made her heart jump so much. Chazz really did scare her sometimes.

As he was walking out the door, Jaden tackled him. At first, Alexis was horrified. How did Jaden know about the kiss? But, in reality, he was only playing. They arose from the floor, Jaden laughing.

"Slacker! I'm still recovering! Don't do that." Chazz growled threateningly.

"Oh, right, sorry. I forgot." Jaden admitted sheepishly. "Well, guess I'd better take you back to your room, huh, Chazz?"

"Why, you--"

"And I should probably stay to keep an eye on you."

Chazz's face turned red. "Why can't you ever stay out of my--"

Jaden hugged him, then draped an arm around his shoulders, still laughing. Chazz's face turned redder.

"Come on, Chazz, I'm just messing with you. It's no big deal to need some help every now and then."

"That's what you think, slacker. But I'm the Chazz and the Chazz doesn't need help from an--"

"Oh, Chazz," Alexis called, her golden eyes dancing, "have you forgotten to thank Jaden? If it weren't for him, I couldn't have found you."

Chazz blushed and mumbled, "Oh, right. Sorry, slacker. Thanks."

"Hey, what're friends for?"

Chazz grumbled something that sounded like an insult.

Jaden caught Alexis' gaze. Both blushed and fell silent. Finally, Alexis could take it no longer.

"Jaden, where do we stand?" she blurted, "I don't want to live like this! I don't want to feel awkward around you anymore. I don't know how to feel or what to think. Everything's just too weird. I like it, but I don't at the same time."

"You know," Jaden laughed nervously, "I feel the same. I don't think we're ready for a relationship, that's all. We're too young, anyway."

"Yeah," she laughed, relieved, "we should just enjoy being kids right now, and worry about relationships later. So, friends?"

"Sure!" Jaden smiled at her, then said a bit more teasingly, "Of course, you still have to choose between Chazz and me. I know you like us both. For now, let's all just be friends, but when we get older…"  
"When it comes, it comes," Alexis finally agreed, "Life is too short to be wasting it fretting over relationships. We should just chill until we're ready. And maybe I'll know who I want then."

"You will." Jaden winked at her, causing her to blush. "And I'm not mad at you at all."

Chazz scowled, listening to this conversation. "You know, I can hear you. And I'm mad. You can't kiss both me and slacker! That's almost like me kissing slacker!"

Everyone fell silent.

Chazz laughed nervously. "Just kidding, just kidding. I'm not mad. I don't care, actually. Kiss him all you want."

He ran, embarrassed. Jaden and Alexis laughed, watching him grow peeved.

"Well, I'm glad things are back to normal," Alexis thought. Then, smirking at Jaden naughtily, "Well, maybe not entirely."

She walked out the door with Jaden into the bright afternoon as he talked to her about a recent duel. No, things were not normal. They would only get more interesting from here on out.

* * *

**A/N: Aww, it's over. (sniff) I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review for the final time in spirit of the conclusion. And no, there will not be a sequel. Not now anyway. If you want one, you may say so, but it will take me awhile to get to it. I'm still trying to fulfill all your other requests (and failing miserably at it.) T-T**

**See ya later:P **

**PS-- Chazz and Alexis 4-eva!!!! XD (sorry. ahem )**


End file.
